Verbena plant named ‘Sunmarirosta’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Sunmarirosta’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; light pink and red purple bi-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliar plane; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Verbena hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNMARIROSTA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Sunmarirosta’.

The new Verbena plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of aproprietary selection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number 1800,not patented. The new Verbena plant was discovered and selected by theInventors on a single flowering plant of the patent selection in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in July,2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since July, 2009 hasshown that the unique features of this new Verbena plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunmarirosta’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sunmarirosta’ as a new and distinct Verbenaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, semi-upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Light pink and red purple bi-colored flowers that are held        above and beyond the foliar plane.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the parentselection. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of theparent selection in flower color as plants of the parent selection havesolid red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of Verbena‘Sunmaricoaka’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,849. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the newVerbena differed primarily from plants of ‘Sunmaricoaka’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were broader than plants of        ‘Sunmaricoaka’.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had shorter internodes than plants        of ‘Sunmaricoaka’.    -   3. Plants of the new Verbena had lighter green-colored leaves        than plants of ‘Sunmaricoaka’.    -   4. Plants of the new Verbena were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Sunmaricoaka’.    -   5. Plants of the new Verbena had smaller flowers with more        narrower petals than plants of ‘Sunmaricoaka’.    -   6. Plants of the new Verbena and ‘Sunmaricoaka’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘Sunmaricoaka’ had red-colored        flowers.    -   7. Plants of the new Verbena had shorter peduncles than plants        of ‘Sunmaricoaka’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Verbena plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Verbena.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunmarirosta’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunmarirosta’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containersin an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under culturalpractices typical of commercial production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and descriptionwere taken. In the following description color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida ‘Sunmarirosta’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary    selection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number 1800, not    patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 20° C. to 25°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at            20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, semi-upright and mounding            growth habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral            branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral            branch development; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 22 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 71.5 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 35 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.6 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.        -   Texture.—Densely pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144B tinged with close to 165A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 4.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 3 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; coarse.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            143A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C;            venation, close to 144D. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 137D; venation, close to 144D.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 4.6 cm. Diameter: About 0.9 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 144D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single salverform            flowers arranged in hemispherical terminal racemes; flowers            face mostly upright; freely flowering habit with about 24            flowers per inflorescence and about 35 inflorescences            developing per plant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants            begin flowering about four weeks after planting; long            flowering period, plants flower continuously from spring to            late autumn in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 4.7 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.1 cm.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 1.9 cm. Depth (height): About            2.6 cm. Throat diameter: About 1.2 mm. Tube length: About            2 cm. Tube diameter, mid-section: About 1.8 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 3.1 mm.            Shape: Clavate. Color: Close to 60B and 49B.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals.            Petal length: About 10.2 mm. Petal width: About 7.6 mm.            Petal lobe shape: Narrowly obcordate. Petal lobe apex:            Emarginate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close            to 58D; thick longitudinal lines, close to N57A. Petal, when            opening, lower surface: Close to 68D; thick longitudinal            lines, close to 61C. Petal, fully opened, upper surface:            Close to 49C; thick longitudinal lines, close to N57B;            towards the base, close to NN155A; with development, main            colors become closer to 69D and 63C. Petal, fully opened,            lower surface: Close to 56D; thick longitudinal lines, close            to 64C. Throat: Close to 149D. Tube: Close to 149D.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One single narrow calyx tube per flower            with five fused sepals. Sepal length: About 1 cm. Sepal            width: About 1 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:            Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color, immature, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 144C. Sepal color, mature, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 144C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.            Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 0.5 mm by            1 mm. Anther color: Close to N144D. Pollen amount: Scarce.            Pollen color: Close to N144D. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            One. Pistil length: About 1.6 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted.            Stigma color: Close to 144B. Style color: Close to 144D.            Ovary color: Close to 144B. Fruits and seeds: Fruit and seed            development have not been observed on plants of the new            Verbena.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbena    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘Sunmarirosta’as illustrated and described.